911 and its aftermath have changed everything and continue to affect both geo and national politics. It was and continues to be a seminal and possibly cataclysmic event in the history of the world. GW has responded magnificently, IMHO, to those events.
One of the many effects is that it has and is continuing to effect the attitudes of many of the "single issue" conservative crowds way of thinking. But old habits die hard.
While I find many of GW's stands on domestic social and political issues unpalatable, at the end of the day there is one thunderous conclusion I come to:
It would be un-safe to see another DemocRAT as our Commander in Chief!!!
Many bedrock conservatives, self included, will come to that conclusion and re-affirm that fact in November 2004 by voting for a less than ideal candidate Bush. And many, self included will do so happily, with the realization that placing a DemocRAT in charge will quite literally be playing Russian Islamic Roulette.
I am sure I and others will find ourselves taking issue with GW on his decisions that fly in the face of our desire to preserve and protect the Constitution as written, but knowing that, at least for the present, the threat to our Republic is far greater from outside forces than it is and has, in the recent past, been from internal forces.
We could go on and on expounding on the reasons to both support or not support GW. You are correct, given the circumstances, it is just short of amazing what he has accomplished since his election and 911. Not only do most Americans deeply want to trust the man, I for one do believe that he is sincerely honest in his desire to serve the greater needs of the Republic in these very trying times.
The bottom line is that, like him or not, he will be our "best" possible choice in the next election cycle given the alternatives.